Chocolate Covered Puppies
by RaineKitsune
Summary: Kaiba throws his annual Christmas party. All of those fountains of chocolate over there... They’re awesome. {SetoxJounouchi}


**Summary:** Kaiba throws his annual Christmas party. All of those fountains of chocolate over there… They're awesome. SetoxJounouchi

Shonen-ai, one-shot, a little OOCness depending on how you look at it…

**A/N:** Inspired by a conversation with my mom on the 10th. She's going with my dad to his work's annual Christmas party and they apparently have chocolate fountains. Cheezus, I wish I had one of those…

So much thanks to Hyuju! She's an awesome beta. :)

Merry Christmas!

Also, ----- means that there's a time lapse, while the longer lines just separate the story from the notes...

**Written:** December 11, 2004

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**Chocolate Covered Puppies**

It was time, once again, for Seto Kaiba to host his annual Christmas party. Though it was anyone's guess as to why such a "cold" person would wish to hold such an extravagant event to celebrate giving, friendship, family, and love, he held the party nonetheless. Some guessed that it was only to strengthen ties between his corporation and business partners. Others guessed that he was truly just a lonely person looking for friends.

Katsuya Jounouchi knew better. "He's trying to trick us all into believing that he's some kind of a caring person! I swear, Yugi, he's going to steal your deck! Then a horde of ninjas will drop in through the roof and kill you!" Maybe the last part was a bit exaggerated. Either way, Jounouchi _knew_ that Kaiba was up to no good.

Very few were fortunate enough –or unfortunate, depending on how you look at it- to receive an invitation to Seto Kaiba's Christmas bash. Yuugi happened to be one of those lucky individuals.

"I don't know, Jounouchi. He's changed a lot since back then," Yuugi said, being the ever optimistic and trusting one.

"I don't want you going, Yuugi. He hasn't changed at all; it's an act. It's not safe!" Jou argued.

It was true that Yuugi had originally planned on inviting Anzu since the card stated that he could bring one guest with him as well, but if it meant his best friend getting over his suspisions of the teenage millionaire… Yuugi shifted on his bed, weighing his options. After a few moments of silence passed, he had made his decision.

"Go with me, then."

"…_Whaaat?!?_" Jou asked as his head snapped to the side to look at his best friend. He didn't notice as he dropped his deck, which he had been looking through while sitting at Yuugi's desk when his friend had made the absurd suggestion.

"Well… The invitation says to bring one guest. This way you'll feel better with me going because you'll be there if anything happens," Yuugi explained to his shocked friend.

"Don't be stupid, Yuugi. I wouldn't be caught dead at Kaiba's party."

-----

Wait… Why was he here again? Oh yeah, to look out for Yuugi. He could always bail out early if the party was too boring.

Katsuya Jounouchi scanned the large ballroom, checking for any dangerous looking people.

They were all over.

From the big bulked-up looking guy standing in the corner to the various bodyguards that stood near big businessmen, the room was full of threats. Oh, and then there were the guys with guns that stood over by the front doors.

"Yeah, real safe, Yuugi," Jou whispered sarcastically to the shorter boy.

"It's not that big of a deal, Jou," Yuugi replied. The fact that he was sweating to the point that he loosened his necktie didn't reassure the taller of the two.

The two teens were dressed in their best suits and ties. They didn't compare to the businessmen who flaunted Armani suits.

"Yuugi!" An 11-year-old boy quickly rushed over to the two teenagers. After greeting Yuugi, his blue-gray eyes landed on the other's guest. "Jounouchi?"

"Hey, Mokuba," the blonde greeted.

"Didn't expect to see you here. I'd stay away from Seto, if I were you. He's in a pretty bad mood," the younger Kaiba warned.

"Pfft. Not as if I want to see him anyway," Jou replied. He turned his attention to the room and it's other occupants as Mokuba turned his own back to Yuugi. They were on the first floor of a seventy-sum story skyscraper.

The high ceiling was painted with various pictures of beautifully detailed angels. The lush carpet beneath their feet was colored a light golden-white. Huge famous paintings hung on the walls, many adorned in huge gold frames. The walls were a light golden color. Basically, there was a lot of gold.

It made him dizzy just thinking about what this room alone must've cost. His eyes landed on a large archway to the right that opened into another room. The archway, of course, had a border of gold around it.

Leaving his companion who had eased up considerably since Mokuba had rushed over, he slowly walked toward the archway. The room that it led to was just as beautiful as the first one, but this time made of marble. Large pillars stood around the room and connected to the ceiling. The hard floor shone brighter than he thought possible. And all of those tables over there with the crystal fountains full of liquid chocolate…

Oh yeah.

-----

"Hello Mokuba. Yuugi." The host of the party had found his way to one of the few guests that had not been invited in order to strengthen a bond between his company and another. Mokuba smiled at his brother and nodded in response.

"Kaiba." Yuugi nodded to the significantly taller boy. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Where's your guest?" Kaiba asked, ignoring the thank you.

"Huh? Oh…" Yuugi glanced around, not having noticed his friend's disappearance. "I'm not sure where he went," he said apologetically.

"He? I assumed you were bringing that friendship girl."

"Oh, no. I was going to, but I ended up inviting Jounouchi instead."

If you had been looking _really_ hard, you might have noticed the slight twitch of Kaiba's right eye. "You brought that _mutt_ to my party?"

Yuugi frowned at Kaiba's nickname for Jou, but wanting to avoid conflict, he attempted to change the subject. "Are you planning anymore dueling competitions soon?"

"What?" Kaiba snapped, not having heard Yuugi, as he had been too busy scanning the crowd for a certain dog that needed harassing.

"Nothing." Yuugi sighed and went back to his conversation with the kinder Kaiba brother.

After snapping at Yuugi, Seto Kaiba had gone back to scanning the crowd, easily seeing over most of the others' heads. Yuugi might have replied or might not have; he really didn't care. The only reason he had been invited was because of Mokuba's nagging.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted as a man 'ahem'ed behind him, trying to get his attention. He quickly turned around to come face-to-face with one of the American businessmen that had taken the time to fly from his own country in order to attend the party and make a business proposition with the young millionaire. He'd look for the dog later and pray to the gods that he didn't ruin the entire night.

-----

A small smile graced his lips as Kaiba watched the crowd thinning. People had finally begun leaving an hour ago when it had been a quarter to midnight. Few were left now. Hopefully the rest of them would be gone before one.

"Kaiba?" The brunette glared down at hearing a familiar voice. "Just wanted to tell you that maybe you aren't so bad after all…I guess. And thanks for inviting us."

"I didn't invite you. Why aren't you gone yet?" he snarled at the blonde.

The slight smile that Jou had managed to force onto his face had now become a look of pure hatred. "I'll stay as late as I want, bastard!" he growled.

"I forgot; mutts don't have homes, do they?"

"Go to hell!" With that, the "mutt" stomped off.

"Intelligent comeback," Kaiba said to himself sarcastically.

"Seto!" His eyes softened as he glanced across the room and saw his younger brother running toward him.

"Don't run in that suit," the elder Kaiba said as Mokuba finally reached him.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Anyway, Yuugi can't find Jounouchi. He's looking outside and he already looked in the bathroom-"

"He's still here." Kaiba cut off his brother in order to save time. The mutt needed to leave.

"Oh… I'll go get Yuugi," Mokuba said, turning to sprint back across the room. After taking three steps he remembered his brother's orders and slowed to a quick walk.

And then there was a crash.

-----

'Damn Kaiba, being an asshole.' Jou thought to himself as he stormed back into the refreshment room. Earlier there had been workers standing near each table, always ready to refill them. However, these workers had been ordered to stop half an hour ago as less and less people came. They still came out occasionally to take empty trays into another room to be washed.

Jou would know, being that he'd spent almost the entire time in the refreshment room.

Walking over to a table, he grabbed one of the strawberries and moved to dip it into the chocolate fountain.

And then he slipped.

And fell.

Onto the fountain.

Which wasn't attached to the table.

And to add to his dilemma, he even dropped his strawberry.

-----

Quickly rushing toward the all-marble room, Kaiba skidded to a halt a few yards away from the source of the crash. Before him lay a fallen dog, sprawled out on top of what had at one time been a very expensive and beautiful fountain.

Now it was nothing but a shattered mess with a large pool of liquid chocolate surrounding it.

The table that the fountain had sat atop had also fallen, being brought down by the mutt's legs.

Kaiba's right eye twitched again, though this time it was quite visible. "You idiot…" Kaiba growled out lowly.

"It-It's not like I meant to!" Jounouchi replied, lifting his chocolate covered head up and struggling to lift his body. Kaiba's eyes studied the long cut that ran down the blonde's right cheek. The blood that leaked from the wound ran down through the chocolate that covered the dog from head to toe.

Kaiba frowned. Of course the moron had to do something to make brunette feel bad. Now he had a possible lawsuit on his hands.

That was the _only_ reason. He'd swear it on Mokuba's- Or maybe…Yuugi's life. Yes…that's what he'd swear on.

The dog had finally managed to lift himself onto his hands and knees.

"You're pathetic," Kaiba said as he walked over to the fallen dog, careful to stand just outside the chocolate puddle.

"Shut up, asshole!" Jou barked out. He quickly pushed himself up and attempted to stand on his feet, but liquid chocolate, being slippery as liquids tend to be, caused his feet to slide out from under him.

He closed his eyes and prayed that he wouldn't fall onto any sharp pieces of the broken glass from the fountain. Some…parts…could be seriously damaged from that. Like his legs. Or his arms. Or other places. That he'd prefer not to mention.

Luckily, he never hit the floor or any of those potentially dangerous sharp objects.

"Sometimes I wonder why they didn't put you down when you were little. It would've saved me a lot of trouble."

A punch landed on Kaiba's chest, smearing more chocolate across his suit than what he'd originally accumulated when catching Jou.

"I don't think it's too late yet. You're still weak like a little puppy." Kaiba ignored the punch and pulled Jounouchi up, holding his arms as not to drop him.

A kick landed on his shin.

"A weak, -"

Another kick and a growl.

"-pathetic, -"

"Shut up!"

"-chocolate covered puppy."

"You know, I could sue you! The fountain-"

Jounouchi gasped as the taller boy leaned down and slowly began to trail his tongue up the long cut on the blonde's cheek. The bitter taste of blood mingled with the chocolate's sweet, sugary flavor. The odd mix of flavors-

A squeak came from near the entrance to the room. Kaiba's head snapped up.

Shit.

Yuugi and Mokuba stood wide-eyed under the archway. Which one had made the squeak, he wasn't sure. But they both saw.

"Kaiba… Were you just-" Kaiba quickly cut off Yuugi's question.

"You're delusional."

"But Kaiba-" Yuugi began to protest, but was once again cut off.

"I said you're delusional. From seeing your friend injured. Mokuba, go get someone to bring the car. The mutt might need stitches."

Mokuba stood staring at his brother a moment longer before running to do as he had been told. Yuugi shifted on his feet uncomfortably and nervously began to glance around the room.

Kaiba finally realized that the puppy hadn't said anything. He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the mutt that he held. Jou's head had rolled back and now hung limply. His eyes were wide and staring into space, his lips slightly parted.

He _really_ should've been put down when he was younger.

**-END-**

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**A/N:** I believe that's the longest one-shot and only holiday-based fic I've ever written. Reviews will be very much appreciated.


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